Gone
by I'dBeDelighted
Summary: Post marriage to Darcy, Julia finds out William has left. A short second chapter has been added to wrap up the story more suitably.
1. Chapter 1

I have been attempting to post this story for a week. When you upload your story (document or copy & paste) the formatting is stripped out, you have to edit the formatting back in then save it. For some reason the line breaks for this story will not save, it's not the first time I've had a problem with this. I have resorted to putting lines instead of line breaks. I have attempted to contact support without success, it seems there is no support for this site. I'm very disappointed to say the least.

* * *

The challenge put forward on the MM forum:

There's a missing fanfic about Julia's thoughts on what happened to William after he went on his suspension/hiatus and whether she knew he attempted to turn in his badge during that time.

My response, not exactly what I expected:

* * *

Brackenreid entered the morgue, "Good morning Doctor."

"Good morning Inspector." Julia replied surprised to see Inspector Brackenreid in her morgue, "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"How is the post mortem coming along on our latest victim?"

"Post mortem? Is Det. Murdoch not investigating this case?"

"That task has fallen to me Doctor."

"I beg your pardon? Is the Detective ill?"

"No … he's gone."

"Gone? Gone where?" Julia was confused.

"I don't know."

"When will he be back? Has he gone for long?"

"Your guess is as good as mine Doctor," was all Brackenreid could reply.

"I don't understand Inspector. Are you saying Det. Murdoch has left the constabulary?"

"I don't know, but to be honest I don't hold out much hope of him coming back." Brackenreid turned back to the matter at hand. "The victim Doctor, do you have a cause and time of death?"

Julia was shocked, she couldn't reply, William … gone.

"Doctor?"

"Oh … oh, sorry Inspector, yes I do. I've almost finished you'll have my report soon."

Brackenreid glanced around the morgue and noticed one of the attendants, "In that case," he gave Julia a look and a nod, "why don't you bring it to my office as soon as you've finished." With that he left.

* * *

Julia had of course heard about William's escape from custody and then Constance Gardiner's escape whilst everyone was at her wedding. She wondered, could William have been responsible? Was that why he hadn't come to the church? She'd thought it was because he no longer loved her but what if she was wrong? She had taken a chance that her letter would get to him in time, perhaps it hadn't; but perhaps it had. Did he choose Constance Gardiner over her? Had he sacrificed a life with her to set Constance Gardiner free? Why would he do that though? Questions, all she had were questions. She felt the Inspector was going to tell her more but they weren't alone in the morgue; she had to go over to the Station House as soon as she could.

* * *

Julia entered Station House 4 and went straight down the corridor to the Inspector's office, hoping she hadn't been noticed. Brackenreid had seen her as she entered the station door and pulled down the blinds to his office; he didn't want anyone else to see their conversation. Julia knocked on the door, he beckoned her in.

"Doctor, please, sit down." Julia placed her report on the desk and sat in one of the chairs opposite.

"Inspector, I had the feeling you would have said more had we been alone."

Brackenreid glanced down and sighed, then looking at Julia, "He tried to resign. I wouldn't accept it. I told him to take a leave of absence, if he felt the same after a few weeks maybe then I'd accept his resignation."

"Why would William resign? He loves his work."

"You can't figure that out Doctor?"

Julia hung her head, so he did still love her. He'd left because of her. Because he couldn't face seeing her knowing he could never be with her. But why didn't he come to the church if that's how he felt?

After a moment the Inspector carried on, "You know Constance Gardiner escaped." It was a statement, not a question. Julia nodded. "Well she didn't. Murdoch released her."

Julia looked at Brackenreid, "I had wondered as much. Why did he do it? He had to know it would be the end of his career."

"My guess is he felt he had nothing to lose … plus … it was one mistake he could set right."

"Mistake?" Julia looked questioningly at Brackenreid.

"You know Murdoch keeps everything to himself Doctor, but it's been obvious ever since you left for Buffalo that he felt he should have done something different. He felt he lost you, that you no longer cared for him because of something he'd done … or perhaps didn't do."

Julia didn't want to face that right now, she needed to know why William would purposely ruin his career. Perhaps he wouldn't want to work with her any more but to destroy everything he'd worked for. "But I still don't understand Inspector, why would William release her? She killed a man and framed him. What reason could he have for releasing her?"

"Murdoch felt it was his fault she'd found herself in the situation she was in. He'd arrested Littlefair, then known as Michael Cudmore, for murder in the past. Ava Moon, Constance Gardiner, was a witness. Cudmore had got off because of something Murdoch did. He then attacked Ava Moon and apparently had been attacking and killing other women since. She felt she couldn't trust the law so she took the law into her own hands."

Julia sighed, "I can see if William felt it was his fault he would want to do something but to release her…. He'll never work in law enforcement again."

"Not so fast Doctor, this isn't common knowledge. He told _me_ he'd released her, that doesn't mean I told anyone else."

"What are you saying Inspector? No one else knows William released her? But Chief Constable Stockton must know about it."

"Oh he knows she escaped, just not _how_ she escaped."

"But what did you tell him?"

"That the cell door lock was faulty. That that was how Murdoch escaped custody, which he got three weeks suspension for I might add. That we didn't realize the lock was at fault when we put Constance Gardiner in the same cell, and that when we did find out it wasn't a surprise that she'd escaped too."

"And he believed that?"

"He had no reason not to and as long as no one else suggests otherwise there's no reason he shouldn't continue to believe it."

Julia considered that, then replied, "Chief Constable Stockton is retiring soon and the rumour is Inspector Giles will be taking over. Does he know, does he believe it was the lock?"

"It doesn't matter what Giles believes; the official report, accepted by Stockton, says it was a faulty lock. Giles will be able to do nothing about it."

"You lied for William. I appreciate what you've done Inspector. You risked your career for him."

"I'm hoping he'll come back one day. He may be annoying at times but he's the best detective the constabulary has ever had; I don't want to lose him." Brackenreid looked Julia in the eye, "Doctor, this information goes no further than this office."

"Of course Inspector." With that Julia took her leave. She had a lot to think about.


	2. Chapter 2

Julia realized as soon as the wedding was over that she had made a mistake. She had wanted William to come to the church to rescue her from herself. Ruby was right, she didn't love Darcy like she loved William. But she couldn't give William the family he longed for; she had sacrificed her happiness for him. Now she was stuck, for the rest of her life, with a man that she had convinced herself she loved but who was really just the first to propose and make her unavailable to William. Why hadn't William moved on?

Over the months since she'd come back to the morgue it was obvious, if she had just taken the time to think about it, that William still loved her. But even if he did still love her why hadn't he at least made an effort to find someone else? She couldn't understand why he just accepted the situation but Ruby was once again right, he would respect her decision. Now he was gone, and regardless of the real reason, she felt it was her fault. Perhaps if she'd been able to talk to him, tell him she still loved him and wanted to marry him, he wouldn't have released Constance Gardiner. There again, given it was his actions that led to her situation Julia knew he would have felt guilty and ultimately responsible; perhaps it wouldn't have changed things...

Julia couldn't bear to think that she may never see him again, however how could she work with him if he did return given her feelings? Like it or not she'd made her decision and now she had to live with it. Perhaps it would be for the best if he didn't return. One way or the other she wasn't sure she could continue in the morgue, it reminded her too much of what she'd lost. She would prepare for a new future without William, whether he returned or not.


End file.
